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Is poverty, the amount of time spent in a car, or boredom anything new since 1980? If anything we (they) are less bored, constantly stimulated. Since there has

Is poverty, the amount of time spent in a car, or boredom anything new since 1980? If anything we (they) are less bored, constantly stimulated. Since there has been a large increase in deaths of despair specifically, I'm inclined to blame the spike in accessibility of addictions. In 1980 you could maybe become an alcoholic or addicted to cigarettes, or gambling if you went out of your way. Now you have alcohol, 1000 forms of nicotine, gambling at your fingertips, social media, porn, fentanyl, meth, ... Some of these addictions, like fentanyl, will kill you directly. The others just make you check out from life, and eventually, living.

mrguyorama 3y ago
Or, people are in more despair in these areas because they have been dying since the 90s. I escaped a rural town for exactly that reason. If I didn't have a way out, and had to "live a life" in that town for 60 years, I'd probably have ended up offing myself. It used to be you could get a random job and live an average life which could give you time to develop hobbies and have friends and do enjoyable things, as well as just be less stressed, but now rural areas are half welfare and half people working themselves to death for the most basic life imaginable to americans.
- shrimp_emoji 3y ago
  Night in the Woods explores the ennui of a dying small factory town. D: That opened my eyes to it since I have zero real life experience.
- bagacrap 3y ago
  I think the difference is what's considered "average". I'm pretty sure the average rural life has always been somewhat unexciting and hard, and that hasn't changed. Now you can compare your life to the urban/modern folks more easily due to social media and other wonders of the modern age. The definition of "average" has shifted to include things that are out of your reach. But if you're right and it's all about the availability of jobs, then the rise of remote work should soon revive these rural areas.
1270018080 3y ago
People in cities have access to the same forms of addiction, so it can't be accessibility as the reason.
- bagacrap 3y ago
  Poor people in cities are in the same situation.* The geographical distinction is I think a red herring that goes away when you control for wealth. The article mentions wealthy people in Colorado, which is mostly not very urban. *Even rich people have the same problems, but probably better resources for mental healthcare

mrguyorama 3y ago

Or, people are in more despair in these areas because they have been dying since the 90s. I escaped a rural town for exactly that reason. If I didn't have a way out, and had to "live a life" in that town for 60 years, I'd probably have ended up offing myself. It used to be you could get a random job and live an average life which could give you time to develop hobbies and have friends and do enjoyable things, as well as just be less stressed, but now rural areas are half welfare and half people working themselves to death for the most basic life imaginable to americans.

shrimp_emoji 3y ago
Night in the Woods explores the ennui of a dying small factory town. D: That opened my eyes to it since I have zero real life experience.
bagacrap 3y ago
I think the difference is what's considered "average". I'm pretty sure the average rural life has always been somewhat unexciting and hard, and that hasn't changed. Now you can compare your life to the urban/modern folks more easily due to social media and other wonders of the modern age. The definition of "average" has shifted to include things that are out of your reach. But if you're right and it's all about the availability of jobs, then the rise of remote work should soon revive these rural areas.

1270018080 3y ago

People in cities have access to the same forms of addiction, so it can't be accessibility as the reason.

bagacrap 3y ago
Poor people in cities are in the same situation.* The geographical distinction is I think a red herring that goes away when you control for wealth. The article mentions wealthy people in Colorado, which is mostly not very urban. *Even rich people have the same problems, but probably better resources for mental healthcare